1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to power amplifiers, and more specifically to high frequency, high efficiency, Wideband, multi-kilowatt power amplifiers.
2. Related Art
A power amplifier takes a low power RF signal and amplifies it to create a high power RF signal. A high frequency (HF) power amplifier amplifies RF signals having a frequency in the range of 3 to 30 of millions of hertz (MHz). Specific applications of a HF power amplifier include RF induction and dielectric heating and plasma etching deposition, cleaning and ashing processes.
A disadvantage of conventional high efficiency, HF power amplifiers is that they operate only over a narrow frequency band (i.e., much less than one octave bandwidth). That is, they do not provide instantaneous amplification over a wide bandwidth. Additionally, their relatively low power conversion efficiencies require impracticably large primary power inputs to generate multi-kilowatts of RF power. What is therefore desired is a HF power amplifier that overcomes these disadvantages.